History

Beaumont House was first constructed in 1846 by Samuel Downing Roome. The building was designed and used as a Ladies Seminary and continued as such until the turn of the century.

The grounds of Beaumont House originally extended through to Motherby Hill and until 1883 when the western-most part of the site was sold for development of The Poplars.

It was at that time that Caroline Eliza Derecourt Martyn had progressed from being a pupil to teacher and governess at the school. Caroline, known as Carrie to her friends, went on to become a champion of the poor and under-privileged, promoting the cause of working people. Keir Hardy described her as the leading socialist of her day; a recognition of the achievement and personal sacrifice that led to her untimely death in 1896 at the age of 29. 

In 1901, Beaumont House was sold to Miss Sarah Hattersley who retained the property as a private residence until 1909.

In 1926, the building was re-named Chestnut House and re-opened as a private ladies school under the direction of Miss K. M. Brooks and Mrs E. J. F. Hyde. The school closed in 1932 and thereafter there were several occupiers of the building until the late 1940’s by which time it had fallen into disrepair. Between 1948 and 1949 the building was refurbished and converted into flats and at which time it acquired its present name of Beaumont Court.